Curated OER
Family Traditions, Customs and Beliefs
Students discuss African childhood, explore family traditions, customs, and beliefs, examine African recipes, discuss differences or similarities in food preparation between the U.S. and Africa, and prepare a dish with adult supervision.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Thanksgiving 3—Traditions
Thanksgiving is a treasured national holiday, but it can look different from table to table. Through a reading passage, real-world images, and class discussion, scholars take a look into Thanksgiving's importance to the United States of...
Curated OER
Key Ingredients: America By Food
In this set of five lessons, students analyze the important of food traditions, identity, and history. Students analyze how food traditions contribute to family identity, investigate family food traditions through interviews, and compare...
Curated OER
Colonial Customs
Students experience Colonial life and explore the customs of the 17th century. In this colonial America lesson plan, students play dress up, barter items, author pledges, and review 17th century etiquette.
Curated OER
Victorian America: Reflections of Life in Death
Learners, after viewing a video and researching the changes in society during the Victorian period, assess a prediction-confirmation guide to consider how changes in burial customs in the late 1800's reflect the changes in society as a...
Curated OER
Peace Corps Challenge Game - Traditional Greetings
Students study the cultural greetings that exist around the world. In this cultural traditions lesson, students discuss how people greet each other. Students then research the various greetings different cultures use. Students practice...
Curated OER
Let's Go To Mexico
Students are able to use the Internet to conduct research. They research Mexican culture and traditions. Students compare and contrast Mexican and U.S. food and clothing. They convert United States currency to Mexican pesos. Students...
Curated OER
Mosaic America: Paths To The Present
Seventh graders study the ideologies of life, values, love, peace and struggle of African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans as citizens of the United States. Authors and artists are used as tools to open the eyes of the students...
Curated OER
Molas from South America
Third graders research world geography by creating a class presentation. In this South American lesson, 3rd graders read assigned text regarding the customs and traditions of different Indian communities in South America. Students...
US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Thanksgiving 2—The Pilgrim Story and My Immigrant Story
The tradition of the First Thanksgiving is really a story of immigration. Connect the feelings and customs of the early Pilgrims to the experiences of the immigrants in your class with an introduction to the 13 colonies, the Mayflower,...
Curated OER
An Introduction to Shamanism
Students investigate Inuit customs. In this cultural traditions lesson, students read about religious customs of the Inuit including Shamanism. Students discuss the role of Shaman and create Inuktitut-English dictionaries with terms...
Curated OER
Native American Culture
Students examine the links between culture and geography. In this Native American cultures lesson, students research the cultural traditions of selected Native American groups. Students compare and contrast their findings.
Smithsonian Institution
Dia de los Muertos: Celebrating and Remembering
Help scholars understand the history, geography, traditions, and art of Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Find background information for your reference as well as a detailed cross-curricular lesson plan. Learners compare...
Curated OER
Dream Catcher
Seventh graders discover the purpose of dream catchers. For this Native American customs lesson, 7th graders read stories that feature dream catchers, discuss their significance, and then create their own.
Curated OER
The Roots of the Afro-American Culture: The Artistic Approach
Students study the geographical structure of the continent of Africa. They discuss how and why there are so many tribes and kingdoms of Africa and dsicuss customs and traditions to determine how they come about in any ethnic group.
Curated OER
Gotta Be Me
Learners create model societies. In this social identity lesson plan, students conduct research so that they can plan and present model societies to their classmates. The societies must include information regarding how their society...
Curated OER
Celebrate Native American Heritage
Students examine Native American heritage. They explore a museum of Native American culture and explore their food, dress, and customs. They also explore the Native Americans role in the first Thanksgiving.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Kate Chopin's The Awakening: Local Color in the Late 19th Century
Kate Chopin's The Awakening introduces readers not only to the lush Louisiana setting of Grand isle but also to the nuances of Creole culture. the second lesson plan in a three-part series examines how Chopin's use of literary realism...
Curated OER
Ancient Egypt
Students discover details about ancient Egyptian funerals. In this ancient Egypt instructional activity, students compare and contrast modern funeral rites to those practiced by ancient Egyptians. Teachers may also access the suggested...
Curated OER
Eggs of the World (World Egg Day)
Young scholars celebrate World Egg Day. In this egg-decorating lesson plan, students research egg traditions from other countries and then use their findings to decorate an egg in the tradition of the country they studied.
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Culture
Fifth graders compare and contrast the cultures of American culture with that of the other cultures of North America. Using traditional and Internet research, 5th graders gather data on one element of culture for comparison. Data...
Curated OER
Abuela's Weave Teacher's Guide
Students read and response to the book, Abuela's Weave. In this African-American literature lesson, students discuss pre-reading questions, that focus on family traditions and make predictions about the text. Students read the text and...
Curated OER
Pilgrims in Style
Students explore the Pilgrims and their clothing. They discuss current trends in fashion and complete a Venn diagram comparing the Pilgrim attire to present day clothing and research websites regarding the Pilgrims. After researching,...
Curated OER
Animals in Japan
Young scholars compare and contrast common animals children love and have as pets in Japan and America in this early elementary lesson. The culminating project is an original work of art by each student depicting an animal of their choice.